Baby's little worries

Baby's little worries

My baby is always hungry. Can I increase the milk powder dose in his bottle?

Does your baby often want more food? Is he or is she not fully satisfied when his feeding bottle is finished? If this is the case, do not add any more powder to his bottle, always respect the usual dose for 30 ml of water, that way you will always avoid preparation mistakes that may cause digestive troubles. Seek the advice of a healthcare professional before increasing your baby's dosage or switching to a satiating formula.

My baby eats much less than what is recommended on the label. Should I force him? Does he eat enough?

Remember that food tables on infant formula tins are only an indication based on an average of children. The baby's growth curve is the most important thing to follow carefully. If infants gain weight without eating a lot, do not worry. They may just be small eaters and do not need more food for their growth.

If baby has a varied diet, try to respect his tastes but keep it well-balanced. If your child refuses to eat and rejects the bottle you are giving him, do not worry, it is a normal step in his psycho-development. This refusal can have different meanings:

To express an anguish.

Check that your baby's environment is not stressful, particularly during meals. Moreover, as your baby can feel your anguish, try not to stress, even if your baby refuses to eat.

To let you know his taste.

If your baby does not like a meal do not force him. Try to give him different menus in order to avoid him getting tired of the same food.

It can be a sign of tiredness.

Try to change the time of meals.
Do not make meals last more than 20 minutes.

If you have any doubt, see your doctor who will check your baby's weight curve. An appetite problem can be a sign of an illness onset.

My baby cries a lot and seems to be suffering. I cannot calm him down. What should I do?

If the clinical and motor-neuro tests are normal and if the weight curve is good, it may be that your baby suffers from colic due to food lactose excess. In these cases, a specially adapted formula is recommended for your baby. The amount of lactose in this formula is adapted to newborn babies' digestive system to eliminate the fermentation that provokes a discomfort for your baby. Seek the advice of your doctor for more details.

My baby is suffering from eczema, what can I do?

Eczema is a harmless skin illness which can last a long time and increase over time. Eczema can be the symptom of an allergy to proteins present in cow's milk. In this case, it is usually classified with allergies under "atopic dermatitis". One of its treatments consists of rubbing a corticoid cream on the skin. Always seek advice from your doctor or paediatrician, and feed your baby with a hypoallergenic formula (HA).

My baby is allergic to cow milk proteins. With what formula can I feed him?

The term "allergy" means an abnormal reaction from the body when a foreign substance is present. The immune system reacts by creating antibodies to fight foreign elements called allergens. Reactions usually increase and become stronger and more violent after a second contact with the allergen. Of course, this does not happen to all people.

In these cases, ousting the allergen is the only allergy treatment. There are special products adapted for these situations which are made of hydrolysed caseins or extensively hydrolysed proteins. Always seek advice from a healthcare professional .

What should I do when my baby has a fever?

If your baby has a fever over 39°C, or if the fever is unbearable, see your doctor immediately. In the case that your baby's oral temperature is less than 39°C, and he has never had any major illness, try to calm him down, uncover him and give him a bath for 5 to 10 minutes. The temperature difference between his body and the water should be 2°C (for example if your baby has a 39°C fever then the water should be at 37°C). Give him some water to drink and check his temperature an hour later.

My baby has regurgitations, should I be worried?

Regurgitations are commonplace for newborn babies and naturally cease to occur during the first year. Nevertheless, the stomach content is sour and its return into the mouth can possibly irritate the oesophagus, which may lead to pains. Although it is not harmful, these little regurgitations bring a discomfort to your baby as well as to you. Adapted formulas exist to minimize these discomforts.

My baby is suffering from constipation, what can I do?

Constipation is a decrease in the stool frequency which often leads to an increase of water absorption in the colon and hardens stools. Constipation is diagnosed when the bowel frequency is lower than once a day before the age of 6 months, 3 times a week after 6 months and twice a week for a toddler.

If you breastfeed your baby, your food is probably low in fibers: try to eat a sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables.

If you bottle feed your baby, speak with your doctor. He will be able to prescribe your baby an adapted formula.
If your baby has a diversified diet, some food can help the transit. It is recommended to feed your baby with orange juice, prunes and green vegetables rather than potatoes, rice, apples, pears, quinces and carrots.

My baby is suffering from diarrhea, what can I do?

Acute diarrhea is defined by having liquid stools, more often and in a bigger quantity than usual. Causes of diarrhea are multiple. It could be an intolerance food, or a viral or bacterial infection. In any case, your baby risks dehydration, which can be dangerous and even lethal. Thus, when in doubt, see your doctor immediatly.

Your doctor or paediatrician will prescribe you a special infant formula without lactose and rich in nutrients which may give to your children lots of energy and appetite. However, if your baby seems dehydrated, your doctor should recommend giving him an oral rehydration solution for a few hours . It is presented as a powder in a small bag that needs to be diluted in a precise volume of water. This solution provides water and mineral salts in an adapted quantity and allows for quick and efficient rehydration. These two special formulas shall only be used during recovery and not for long term consumption.